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Original poster

My family have never been so ill? Why? Is it just us??

49 replies

pansyflimflam · 21/03/2013 16:42

Seriously we have never been so ill. We have 5 children so yes, there is room for a lot of bugs going around but honestly since the Autumn we have all been ill. Is it a bad year for these things? Colds that go on and on and on. We have had a couple of sickness things so (which we have really rarely had) and now my three young boys after chickenpox now have stinking colds again.

This has been the worst 5 months of my life. Its getting to the point where it is making me anxious because children seem to be dropping like flies at school with d and v again and I thought it eased up this time of year. Scratch that, and make it incredibly anxious.

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SpringtimeForShatner · 21/03/2013 16:48

I was saying the same to a friend today. Since Christmas, there hasn't been a whole week when we've all been well. It's not just sniffles either, it's been hospital admissions and passing out with D&V sorts of things.

Roll on April. It's got to get better in April, right?

magimedi · 21/03/2013 17:09

I've seen a similar thread to this several times already on MN & on several other forums I frequent.

I'm late 50s & reckon I have immunity to most bugs going round but I've had more colds this winter than ever before as has DH.

It's just been a really nasty winter, the early wet weather was perfect breeding ground for bugs & everyone's been cooped up more than usual so the bugs have had a great time.

I am sure it's not just you. But Flowers to you - must be really tough with five of them.

EggandSpooneyMara · 21/03/2013 17:12

We have all had cold after cold, from the start of December at least, it went on and on - finally seeing the last of it touch wood.

I think it's because there was no summer last year and so much precipitation.

I have been quite worried that my kids have something wrong with their immune systems - seems we're not alone.

It's like the typhoid bit in Jane Eyre...that was blamed on the weather too Smile

MarvellousYou · 21/03/2013 17:18

We've been the same, hospital admissions, secondary infections. I've been cleaning like a crazy person, opening windows when the sun's out, trying to kill the bugs.
We have never been so ill and for such a length of time. You're not alone! X

Manchesterhistorygirl · 21/03/2013 17:19

Not just your family, we've all been the same. Roll on proper warm weather.

Catsdontcare · 21/03/2013 17:23

Same here. I was bedridden for 3 days last week, felt better for a few days and now today I haven't been off the sofa all day. I am so fed up with being ill all the time, and not just a bit of a sniffle type ill.

Original poster
pansyflimflam · 21/03/2013 17:25

To be honest I am just at the end of my rope with it. I am so not a paranoid person about bugs and germs (outside of sensible precautions if someone is ill) but it is making me quite paranoid. There must have been another year like this weather wise but I am in my 40's and I have gone from someone who had two colds a year and sickness bug last in 2005 to a sick puppy.

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TooYappy · 21/03/2013 17:27

I had a horrid one recently, very sore head and weird weird night sweats and just general eugh feeling, DS2 had something similar, that seems to be us OK for now.

Hopefully things will seem better after this final (I hope) burst of Winter

Original poster
pansyflimflam · 21/03/2013 17:29

Between my 5 dcs they have only had 4 courses of antibiotics in their life actually. So i don't think their systems are weakened with too many - it has been viruses which sod all can be done about!

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BeaWheesht · 21/03/2013 18:23

Same here it's shit

l4k · 21/03/2013 20:05

Same 4 kids ill all winter. Combination of 5 ear infections , about 6 throat infections , 2 with the proper flu, croup, laryngitis and 2 rounds of sickness bug. Been the worst winter ever, said that to gp and she said we are not the only ones.

Shakey1500 · 21/03/2013 20:18

Same here. I've never known so many people be so ill, for so long.

Me, DH and DS (5) at home. We've all had the horrible, debilitating flu bug up to and over Christmas. DH was the worst. Not even a beer! He ended up on steroids and antibiotics. DS wasn't as bad but off school for over a week and slept for Britain.

Now there is a sickness bug going around. DS has had it twice. THREE times I had to change bedding last night Shock Sad

Guineapigfriend · 21/03/2013 20:36

We've had a shocking few months. I had gastric flu in October, was off work for a week, then last month had pleurisy after a flu thing and was unwell for 2-3 weeks. And now I've got some god awful sore throat which feels like tonsillitis (but I don't have any), with earache and massive glands. My littlest son has had days and days off school with stomach bugs, tonsillitis, viruses etc. my big son has also had several episodes. Ive been getting anxious about school! And if I take any more time off, work will start being difficult. I never remember a winter as bad as this.

PoppyWearer · 21/03/2013 20:46

I feel like my family has got off very lightly compared to others - coughs/colds aplenty and DH I think took one day off work, so that is already a lot for us, but we have totally avoided the D&V bug so far . We are all vaccinated against flu, maybe that has helped a bit? DC1 goes to school but is usually quite robust. DC2 had chickenpox recently but bounced back from that fine.

I know a LOT of families who have been very sick repeatedly with D&V etc and colds/flu too. A LOT. Never known anything like it before.

We had a very poorly spell last May/June with tonsillitis so maybe that was our unlucky spell?

Anyway OP, I do think you are right, it has been a tough few months for lots of people.

Karoleann · 22/03/2013 06:27

I was just about to come on and post the same thing. We've had the pox, three throat infection, half of DS1 class was off ill half of last week, now I've got it.
DD1 and DS2 had a d&v bug this week and end of Jan.
I've had 5 cold/bug things.
Even DH who is never ill has been off work twice.
I don't think we've had a full well week.
Luckily I don't work - I don't think i would still have a job if i did.

MrsDoomsPatterson · 22/03/2013 06:44

Been poorly three times. Nasty off work chest infections. Thus is since September. Heartily sick of it. Actually went to work with last chest inf. couldn't be off. That was fun!

Original poster
pansyflimflam · 22/03/2013 06:48

Agreed there is no way I would still have a job. In the last 3 weeks, my three littlest ones had the pox and how upset tummy and colds!!! There is no way the eldest is going to playschool today as not keen to pass it on so I have no idea what I would have done if I needed to be elsewhere. Some days the boys have been so poorly we haven't even been able to get out and have had to do the school run in the car. Honestly I am getting cabin fever. Roll on Summer......

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Original poster
pansyflimflam · 22/03/2013 06:53

So is it because of the long wet weather or what? I feel a bit ashamed about how upset about it I am. I get really rattled if one of the children mentions a school friend being off from school with d and v Blush.

One day when I picked up DC3 from Playschool there was a vimitting little girl waiting for her Mum to come and get her and when I got home i bunged him in the shower Blush

In my defence I have a diabetic DD and live in fear of d and v as it can be very serious for her but still, I need to reign in the madness.

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Original poster
pansyflimflam · 22/03/2013 06:55

There is a little bit of me that also thinks that poor parents are having to send their litle ones back into schools and childcare quickly because they fear for the jobs in the current climate. I know most stick to the 48 hour rule (and I know a lot who don't too and prefer to wait just 24 hours) and I think bugs last longer than that actually and that might be part of the problem.

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LtEveDallas · 22/03/2013 07:07

Same here. DD is usually the picture of health, has the usual snots and sniffles but shrugs them off. DH gets man flu, but soldiers on (pathetically Smile) and I just get colds.

Since Xmas we have had: constant (ie not a single day off) coughs and colds, D&V, chest infections, flu, pneumonia, sinusitis and achingly painful head colds that make you feel like you are living underwater.

DD has had a week off school for the first time ever, and her first ever dose of anti-b's. I had 3 days off work for the first time since Swine Flu in 2009.

I don't get it. Our lifestyle hasn't changed, we eat healthily, we exercise - I'd always thought we were pretty robust but now I feel like we are living in the Plague House Sad

Original poster
pansyflimflam · 22/03/2013 07:30

Yes one of my (childless) friends text me the other day and asked how we we all in 'plague central'......... I wonder if anything like echinacea (sp) might help

My friend has visited us for a couple of days three times since about November and we have sent her home with d and v, and a chest infection and a horrid head cold Blush. She is jolly good natured about it actually and is coming to stay again at Easter!

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Startail · 22/03/2013 07:46

Certainly was awful round here before and into Christmas.

Lots of DV which we escaped and cold sand virus we didn't.

DD2 (11) had a whole week off school and went to the GP for the first time since she was a tiny baby. DD2 never has more than two days off at a time, not even when she broke her arm.

Startail · 22/03/2013 07:49

I said sorry to the HT for messing up the attendance figures and she grinned and said not to worry so many staff were ill the agency were running out of supply teachers.

niceupthedance · 22/03/2013 07:50

It has been awful.
Starting in October with tonsilitis (DS then me, 2 weeks off), November d&v for a week each, DS has had about 7 colds/coughs, fevers. He's also just had 16 days of diarrhoea. Absolutely endless. My mum has been really ill too, with chest infections.

CambridgeBlue · 22/03/2013 07:57

We haven't had it as bad as some but even so this year does seem to have been particularly bad - DD has been off school so many times that I am worrying about her attendance but I can't bring myself to send her in when she's either feeling really rough or is so full of coughs and sneezes that she's just going to pass her germs to everyone else.